NAP500 - PMC Fact 8 or Sonus Faber Olympica II

Why can you not try speakers in your own home? You have a great system and you clearly realise that speakers are highly personal and also room dependent. If you can’t try alternatives at home you should stick with what you’ve got. 

the simple reason is that the PMC are impossible to find in any dealer in Rome, and the dealer that is providing me with the alternatives and willing to part exchange the Thiel's  is 300 Km away. He has suggested me to take in his shop the 500 to demo the speakers, but that is impossible for me to do.

The two brands are so diametrically opposed to each other in their sound, I can't understand why it would be an issue to choose one or the other. 

In simple terms, regardless of one's electronics, the speakers will have their house sound, one (PMC) is kind of on the bright, exaggerated detail side, the other (SF) on the mellow, laid back side of neutral. It all depends on what presentation you are looking for.

I replaced some CS1.6s with a pair of NBLs, now I'm not suggesting you look for some of those as you'd be lucky to find a pair and they're not supported any more either but I recently set up the Thiels again in a different location with the 282/Hi/250 that used to drive them and they still sound very good, in fact better than they did in my main home. They don't boogie quite as well as the NBLs but there's something right about them nevertheless. Naim can make Thiels rock, not something a lot of amps can achieve, don't be too hasty to move them on.

I'm a huge SF fan and think they are generally an excellent match with Naim sources and amplifiers with gorgeous midrange in particular.  I've had a pair of SF Grand Pianos on the end of a CD555, NAC552 and NAP300 for many years but am now loking to upgrade.  I heard the Olympicas (think it was the II) at my dealers and was suitably impressed.  I'm considering the Gurneri Traditions as my listening room is quite tight at the speaker end.  Has anyone heard these?  No info on the PMCs.

You might want to think about what source you want to prioritise. If it is streaming, you are using a ND5 XS with a 552/500. You surely need to sort your source out first. The 552/500 will be brutally revealing the shortcomings of your ND5 XS, though a fine but basic streamer it is. Your amplification needs and deserves a NDS/555 as a first priority I would have thought. Unless of course you want to prioritise vinyl then I am not the right person to advise.

Actually my preferred source is vinyl and R2R, therefore analog. The Nd5 XS is just for casual listening and does not really get to me like vinyl.

Fair enough but your streaming and vinyl sources are not on a level playing field to be so definitive.

I do however acknowledge some just prefer vinyl.

Not heard the Sonas Fabers but I have heard Fact 8's bi-amped with 4 x 135's using a CDS3 and Linn front end in quite a small room. The results were very very good. Fact 8's would definitely be on my short list if I ever had to change my current speakers.

Why not add Kudos 606 to the list?

At least wait until peoples here have given them a good demo listen, and can report back.

Waiting for availability will give you time to save up for the higher price  

Debs

At the price involved, assuming you are buying new, it would be worth travelling even overseas to hear the speakers to see if you like their character, though that does not tell you exactly how tgey will sound at home. I haven't heard either, however Inhave heard the PMC Fact 12, twice. On the first occasion I was not overwhelmed, as they seemed to have a rather restricted soundstage, however that was by direct comparison to PMC MB2SE. On the second occasion (in a different room, but same system otherwise), that did not seem to be an issue, and they impressed with their clarity and control, and my conclusion was that if I had to downsize I could well be content with them, truly amazing for their very diminutive size -  but I doubt I would be happy with the more limited F8, because full bass is important to me. If you are prepared to consider the F12, it is worth noting that ex-demo and secondhand do sometimes crop up, which may be worth considering even if it is necessary to import. (However, I can't comment on how they compare with the Olympicas.)

Please try ProAc (ex model D30R/CP6) or Dynaudio (Confidence Series) for your 552/500, they are capable. To maximise your setup, SOurce is important, Try to get a NDS? or used CD555 or CDS3? I think it should sound much more better then your NDX?

Thanks all for your replies.

Actually  I am now more confused than ever. So here is what I am going to do: I will allow myself the luxury of traveling to where the dealer is just to listen to the 2 sets and more ( he has a lot of availability,)  but  will not make the purchase there ad then but  make my decision based on perception later. There is no way that I can take my 500/552, so I will  judge on similarities rathere than exact setup.

Will let you know about my decision (if anyone cares ;-))

salvo

Salvo posted:

Thanks all for your replies.

Actually  I am now more confused than ever. So here is what I am going to do: I will allow myself the luxury of traveling to where the dealer is just to listen to the 2 sets and more ( he has a lot of availability,)  but  will not make the purchase there ad then but  make my decision based on perception later. There is no way that I can take my 500/552, so I will  judge on similarities rathere than exact setup.

Will let you know about my decision (if anyone cares ;-))

salvo

What speakers do you use at present? If the dealer has the same ones available, or if not, if it is possible to take yours (obviously not if using public transport), listening through your model first would give you a reference point in relation to the effect of the room and source/preamp, if less so the power amp.

i did a not dissimilar trip last year to audition speakers, when went by ferry and car and did a full round trip of England over 2 days - taking my (big!) speakers, amp and source - to me the effort and cost was worthwhile given the amount i was prepared to spend on the speakers.

Speakers, Salvo? How about an NDS for that amp instead?

C.

Salvo said above that his main source is vinyl and that the streamer is just for casual listening. So the ND5 should be fine. An NDS needs a power supply as well, so it's a lot of money to spend for casual listening. 

Ah. That preference wasn't in the first post which was the only bit of the thread I had read before I replied.

Sorry Salvo, can't help except to say I'm one of those who find it vital to audition speakers at home.